Out of Reach
by Rese1986
Summary: Set post severance. Matt disappears for a week. The entire FBI is looking for him. He finally returns home with no answers and no explanation for where he's been. Matt has a secret he's trying to hide....


A/N: I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this one...it depends on the reviews I get. If people like it I'll continue on.

* * *

Emily pulled her feet up underneath her and opened the photo album she had just retrieved from Matt's bedroom. She toyed with the edge of the first page as tears streamed down her cheeks. It had been one week to the day since Matt disappeared. The entire FBI was on the hunt for him. So far no one had had any luck tracking him down. It's like he disappeared into thin air. 

This was the first chance Emily had to sit down and really process what was happening. They were no longer apart of each others lives (outside of work) and she thought she had moved on. But with every day that passed, her heart broke more and more at the thought of never finding Matt…never seeing his face again…never getting to tell him she…Emily jumped as she heard a noise at the front door. She stood up, slowly reaching for her gun. The door flung open and Matt stumbled in, cursing loudly as he tripped over a pair of shoes in the doorway. Emily's shoes. She didn't know whether to scream or cry but apparently her body had decided on a scream, as she heard a high pitch noise escape her lips. Matt's head jerked up and he let out a scream of his own.

"Emily?" Matt walked towards the living room and tried to focus on the figure standing in front of him.

"Matt!" She flung herself in his arms, nearly knocking him over in the process. Her eyes filled with tears.

"What happened? Where have you been? Are you ok?" Emily stepped back and stared into his eyes, while wiping her own.

"What are you talking about?" Matt's head was pounding. All he wanted was to go lay down in his bed.

"Matt, you've been missing for a week!! Where the hell have you been?"

Matt stared at Emily. _'I've been gone a week?!' _He thought to himself. _'No way.'_

"Matt?" Emily called again.

"Oh, sorry. Look I've got a really bad headache. I need to go lie down. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

Emily stared at him incredulously.

"Are you serious? You disappear without a trace for a week and then when you do come home, you want to just go to bed and talk about this tomorrow? Matt, the entire FBI has been looking for you!" Emily was yelling by the time she reached the end of her rant.

"Look I'm sorry alright. But I'm really not feeling so hot. Hey, how did you get in here anyway?"

"Uhh, well I…remembered where you kept your spare key." Emily looked away and felt herself blush slightly.

"I guess I better find a new place to keep that." Matt massaged his temples then headed to his bedroom. Emily felt a twinge of pain at Matt's comment. Granted she did technically break into his house but...God help her, Emily was still very much in love with him. Though Matt apparently wanted nothing to do with her. Emily sighed. This made no sense whatsoever. Matt was gone for a week and then he came waltzing through the door like nothing ever happened. Her feelings aside, something was very wrong with him. Emily knew she should at least call Cheryl but decided to just keep an eye on him for the night. She grabbed a pillow and blanket from his hall closet and made herself a bed on the couch.

"This'll do for tonight." Emily flicked the lights off then laid down. She tossed and turned for a good 45 minutes, her mind occupied by thoughts of the man sleeping in the next room. Emily's body was overcome with exhaustion and she finally drifted off into a restless sleep.

* * *

"Em?" Matt shook her gently. Emily's eyes opened slowly, trying to adjust to the light. 

"Hey." She yawned and stretched her body, as best she could while still lying on the couch anyway.

"What are you doing here?" Matt's voice was gentle, unlike the night before.

"I'm sorry, I was just…you disappeared Matt, for a week….I didn't want to leave you alone." Emily suddenly felt a little foolish and went to sit up. Matt grabbed her arm and helped her up the rest of the way.

"Thanks." Emily looked at Matt, really looked at him for the first time. He looked very pale and like he had lost some weight. Emily's brow furrowed as she studied him.

"What's wrong?" Matt sat down beside her on the couch.

"Oh, nothing." She forced a smile then got up and excused herself to the bathroom.

'I have to call Cheryl now.' Emily sighed and splashed some water on her face.

* * *

Emily and Matt sat in what appeared to be a comfortable silence. However on the inside Emily's stomach was in knots. She didn't tell Matt she called Cheryl for fear he'd take off again. Matt was nicer today but something was still off. Emily couldn't quite put her finger on it. Matt was about to say something when the doorbell rang. He looked at her with a slight look of confusion before getting up to answer the door. 

"Uh Cheryl, what are you doing here?" Matt stepped aside and let his boss in.

"Matt, where have you been?! We have been looking everywhere for you! Are you ok?" Cheryl started in much like Emily had, well after she threw herself in his arms. Matt stared at them. His eyes darting between Emily and Cheryl. Like he was trying to come up with some excuse but couldn't.

"I was…out." Matt rolled his eyes inwardly. _'Out, Flannery? Come on!' _

"You were…out?" Cheryl asked half in disbelief, half in confusion.

"Yeah, out of town. Look I've got somewhere to be. I need you to leave." Matt walked over to the door and opened it up. He motioned with his hand but neither woman made any attempt to move. Emily was in shock at the sudden mood change and Cheryl wasn't sure what to think. This wasn't the Matt they knew.

"Look you can call off the posse. I'm home and I'm safe. And I really need you to leave now. Please." Matt begged them silently with his eyes. Whatever was going on, he didn't want them to know. Emily nodded her head slightly, grabbed her stuff, then walked out the front door. Cheryl followed a few seconds later, stopping momentarily in the doorway.

"Matt, if you need anything…I'm here for you, ok?" He nodded at Cheryl and she gave him a small smile before leaving. She caught up with Emily outside.

"Something's not right, Cheryl." Emily bit her bottom lip as she glanced back at Matt's house.

"Yeah, I know." Cheryl stared at Emily a few moments before climbing into her car. Both women drove off and Matt sighed in relief, as he shut the blinds.


End file.
